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Ending False Emergency Calls: Stricter Penalties for 'Swatting'

New legislation increases penalties for intentionally making false emergency calls that lead to emergency service responses. This aims to protect citizens from dangerous and costly actions, such as sending armed police units to the wrong address. Victims will also be able to seek reimbursement for intervention costs.
Key points
Increased prison sentences for false emergency calls: up to 5 years, up to 20 years for serious bodily injury, and even life imprisonment if death results.
Possibility of civil action to recover expenses incurred by emergency or investigative responses from the person who made the false report.
The act aims to deter 'swatting' practices that endanger the lives and health of innocent people and waste public resources.
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Status:
Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_HR_3913
Sponsor: Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]
Process start date: 2023-06-07
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2023

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_HR_3913.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-06-07.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Increased prison sentences for false emergency calls: up to 5 years, up to 20 years for serious bodily injury, and even life imprisonment if death results.
  • Possibility of civil action to recover expenses incurred by emergency or investigative responses from the person who made the false report.
  • The act aims to deter 'swatting' practices that endanger the lives and health of innocent people and waste public resources.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-25.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

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